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Wood Plank Wall Panels

Real wood wall cladding for commercial spaces. Feature walls, full rooms, or accent areas.

What Are Wood Plank Wall Panels?

Wood plank wall panels are individual wood boards installed edge-to-edge on walls, creating a continuous wood surface. They work the same way as wood plank ceilings but oriented vertically or horizontally on wall surfaces. Tongue-and-groove, shiplap, or clip-on connections hold the planks together and hide fasteners.

Wood plank walls are everywhere in commercial design right now. You see them in hotel lobbies, restaurant dining rooms, corporate offices, and retail stores. They add warmth and texture that paint and wallpaper can't match.

Commercial Applications

  • Reception and lobby walls — A wood accent wall behind the reception desk is the single most popular wood wall application we install.
  • Restaurant interiors — Dining room walls, bar backs, and feature walls. Wood planks in reclaimed or weathered finishes are a restaurant staple.
  • Office common areas — Break rooms, collaboration spaces, and corridors. Wood softens the corporate feel.
  • Retail — Product display walls, fitting room areas, and cash wrap surrounds.
  • Hotel rooms and corridors — Headboard walls, elevator lobbies, and hallway accent panels.

Benefits

  • Warmth and texture: Real wood grain, knots, and character. Every wall is unique.
  • Ceiling-to-wall continuity: Match the wall planks to a wood plank ceiling for a wrapped, immersive look.
  • Acoustic improvement: Perforated planks with backing add sound absorption (NRC 0.50–0.75). Even solid planks scatter sound better than flat drywall.
  • Durability: Harder than drywall, more forgiving of impacts from furniture and carts.
  • Easy to repair: Damaged plank? Pop it out and replace just that board. No repainting the whole wall.
  • Orientation options: Horizontal for a classic look, vertical for height, diagonal or herringbone for visual interest.

Installation

We start by installing furring strips over the wall substrate — typically 1×3 wood strips 16" on center. This creates a flat, level plane for the planks and provides a consistent nailing surface. On masonry or concrete walls, the furring gets tapcon'd in place.

Planks install from bottom to top (horizontal) or left to right (vertical). Each plank's tongue slides into the previous plank's groove, and we face-nail or clip through the tongue so fasteners are hidden by the next plank. Adhesive can supplement or replace mechanical fasteners depending on the system.

If acoustical performance is specified, we install fiberglass or mineral wool insulation behind the furring strips. Perforated planks let sound pass through to the absorber.

Specs

  • Plank width: 3"–8"
  • Plank thickness: 3/8"–3/4"
  • Joint type: Tongue-and-groove, shiplap, nickel gap
  • NRC (solid): 0.05–0.15 (reflective)
  • NRC (perforated with backing): 0.50–0.75
  • Fire rating: Class A achievable
  • Species: White oak, walnut, maple, cedar, reclaimed, and more

Manufacturers

9Wood and Rulon manufacture wall plank systems that coordinate with their ceiling products. For simpler accent wall applications, we also use regional millwork shops and Armstrong WoodWorks standard wall panels.

Get a Quote

Single feature wall or a fully wood-clad room — we'll price it out and handle the install. Contact us for a free estimate.